Nightmare Alley (2021)

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Rooney Mara, Richard Jenkins, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, David Strathairn, Mark Povinelli, Holt McCallany, Clifton Collins Jr., Tim Blake Nelson, David Hewlett
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Thriller
2021

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A drifter (Bradley Cooper) begins working for a carnival where he sees his opportunity for fame and fortune.

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed Guillermo del Toro's remake of Nightmare Alley. I wouldn't quite say it's among the best films of 2021, but it's an expertly crafted film that delivers a few knockout punches. It might not be consistently strong from start to finish, but the highs are very high. This is a movie I'll think about for a long time after. It's absolutely a victory.

I know people love del Toro, but I have to admit I've never quite been as impressed by him as others. His best films, The Shape of Water and Pan's Labyrinth are visually stunning and I appreciate how he embraces the darker complexities of existence. I wouldn't call either of those truly great films and Nightmare Alley isn't, either. However, this film belongs in that conversation of del Toro's best films. He clearly had a vision for this story and he feels completely in control of the movie. Oftentimes, when films go badly, it seems like the director lost control of his/her creation. That never happens here. Del Toro directs this movie with confidence and poise- it shows up in every scene. Watching the film, you recognize you're in the hands of an extremely talented and experienced director.

He assembles an impressive cast for this film. That felt like the biggest draw- the cast is large, but the movie creates plenty of opportunities for them to showcase their skills. Bradley Cooper deserves great credit for his performance in the lead role. Cooper has shown over the years that he's an underrated actor. I often forget how talented he is. His performance here was incredible- the range that he shows, how much of the film he commands. It's a complicated performance that he delivers seemingly effortlessly. Cooper was very good here. Cate Blanchett added a great supporting performance. She's one of the all time talents and her darker turn here was a welcome one. I enjoyed seeing Cooper and Blanchett interacting on screen. Rooney Mara added a strong supporting performance, too. She feels like she exists too much on the sidelines, but you have to recognize her talent. Toni Collette adds a nice supporting performance, too. Her role is limited, but she makes an impact on the film. Willem Dafoe was great, just chewing scenery in his supporting performance. I loved seeing Richard Jenkins here in a difficult-to-recognize performance. He's such an underrated actor and I liked what he did here. I always love seeing Holt McCallany and he delivers the kind of performance we've come to expect from him. I think any movie with David Strathairn immediately gets better and I loved that del Toro gave him some powerful, meaty moments throughout the film. Strathairn isn't on screen a lot, but I think a great deal about his performance. I'm not much of a Ron Perlman fan, so it was good his performance was limited. I do like Clifton Collins Jr., but his role here was small. Tim Blake Nelson shows up for one scene, but it's one of the film's most memorable. In its entirety, the cast of Nightmare Alley is nothing short of incredible.

The story itself is entertaining and you get drawn into it. As it progresses with its twists and turns, there's enough foreshadowing and intrigue that your attention is always held. At 2 hours and 30 minutes, though, it's obviously too long. It gets bogged down in the third quarter of the film and it starts to lose some momentum. It picks it back up for the incredible conclusion, but some damage is clearly done.

Guillermo del Toro is certainly a brilliant director in the technical arena. It's not surprising that 3 out of the 4 Academy Award nominations were in technical categories- Production Design, Costume Design, and Cinematography. I wouldn't be surprised to see it come home empty-handed, but the nominations are certainly deserved. I was a little surprised it received a Best Picture nomination. I didn't see it at that level, but I still very much enjoyed the film.

2021 has definitely been an improvement over the dismal 2020 at the movies. While Nightmare Alley isn't in my top 10, it's a movie that struck some powerful blows. It's memorable, entertaining, and thought provoking. It's a really good film that helped make this a good year in film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Nightmare Alley (1947), The Shape of Water, Pan's Labyrinth